Event LAX83FA414

Factual narrative

THE OWNER, A STUDENT PLT, & AN ATP PLT DEPARTED OLYMPIA, WA AT APRX 1111 PST ON A FLT TO THE LAKE TAHOE/RENO AREA. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE, A SEARCH WAS MADE UNTIL 12/22/82. ON 8/28/83, THE ACFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT CRASHED ON RISING TERRAIN (50 DEG SLOPE) AT AN ELEVATION OF APRX 7600 FT (ABOUT 600 FT BLO THE TOP OF THE MTN). IT IMPACTED IN A CLEARING SURROUNDED BY PINE TREES & CAME TO REST INVERTED WITH THE LEFT WING PARTIALLY SEPARATED, REARWARD. A MEMBER OF THE SEARCH TEAM REMEMBERED SNOW, 13 TO 25 FT DEEP, IN THAT AREA & RECALLED THE "THE WX WAS MARGINAL THAT WHOLE WEEK." AN NTSB WX SUMMARY REPORTED A PROBABLE OVERCAST WITH BASES AT APRX 8000 FT MSL; VIS 3+ BLO THE CLDS, BUT IN THE CLDS, ZERO VIS & MOD ICG FROM 5000 TO 13000 FT MSL; BLO 10000 FT MSL, MOD TURBC & UP/DOWNDRAFTS. THE ENG HAD EXTENSIVE IMPACT DMG, BUT LITTLE OR NO DMG WAS FOUND ON THE PROP SPINNER OR LEADING EDGE OF THE PROP BLADES. THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE & CARB HEATWERE FOUND FULL OPEN, RICH & ON, RESPECTIVELY. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE INVERTED FUEL TANKS. FLAP SYS FOUND IN UP PSN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12